21 runners were killed by disastrous hail, wind, and rain that hit an ultramarathon race on a mountain in China

• 21 people were killed after hail, high winds, and rain hit runners taking part in a mountain race in China.
• The extreme weather struck a section of the 100-kilometer race at around 2 p.m. on Saturday.
• "Come and save us, quick!" wrote one runner in a group message.

Twenty-one people were killed after hail, rain, and high winds hit runners taking part in a cross-country mountain race in China, according to Chinese news agency Xinhua.

The extreme weather struck a section of the 100-kilometer race held in the Yellow River Stone Forest near Baiyin city on Saturday afternoon.

Among the dead were elite long-distance runners Jing and Huang Guanjun, says Xinhua. Liang had won numerous Chinese ultramarathons in recent years. Huang, who was deaf-mute, won the men's hearing-impaired marathon at the 2019 National Paralympic Games.

"In a short period of time, hailstones and ice rain suddenly fell in the local area, and there were strong winds. The temperature sharply dropped," said Baiyin city mayor Zhang Xuchen, per Yahoo.

The extreme weather hit the race at around 2 p.m., at which point the race was called off and a number of participants sent messages for help.

Shortly after, organizers of the race dispatched a team that managed to rescue 18 of the 172 participants.

"As the event's organizer, we feel a deep sense of guilt and self-blame, express our deep mourning for the victims and deep condolences to their families and the injured runners," Zhang said.

One survivor said: "My whole body was soaked through, including my shoes and socks. I couldn't stand up straight because of the wind, I was very worried I'd be blown over.

"The cold became more and more unbearable. While descending the mountain, I was already experiencing hypothermia symptoms."

Screenshots of messages sent in the race participants' group chat were also published by Xinhua.

"A few people have already lost consciousness and are foaming at the mouth," wrote one person. "Come and save us, quick!"

Another wrote: "The local organizers have an inescapable responsibility for the bad weather in the marathon! Current weather forecast accuracy rates are very high. What kind of emergency plans did they have?"

An investigation into the cause of the incident has been set up by provincial authorities.